This Celtic Women song “Green the Whole Year ‘Round” really took me back to my early gardening days. New gardeners now always seem to ask for the same kind of plants I did back then — evergreens or flowers that never stop blooming.

It took me a while to learn to appreciate the beauty of each changing seasons. Well, as much as our seasons ever change. Even if we don’t have the spectacular electric color of New England falls, is there anything more sculptural than a stark leafless tree against a winter blue sky?

Now is the time to notice our incredible barks. One of the most dramatic is the crepe. We’ve written a lot about crepes lately, and here’s a good reason to treasure these trees. The older they get, the more beautiful the barks become.